< Application and implication
Introduction

This week I had to talk about my final project and I had to answer to several questions. I changed my mind since the beginning for Fab Academy and I ended up doing a Rotocaster.

What will it do?
My final project is a Rotocaster. It can be used during molding and casting week, and in general it's made to do hollow models. It allows you to use less material for your models, and it makes really light models.
Or, if you prefer, you can do easter eggs with it!
Who's done what beforehand?
It's not a new project, it has been made before. The point is to do a "Fab-Rotocaster", an easy to build and cheap machine for small projects in the Fab Labs.
What materials and components will be required?
  • wood 2cm
  • PLA printed pulleys
  • 1 mt belt
  • 4 metal bars
  • DC motor
  • DC motor board
Where will they come from?

I've found almost everything I needed in my FabLab, I've just bought the belt and the the metal bars in an hardware shop.

How much will it cost?
  • Wood: 8 €
  • Metal bars: 4 €
  • Bearings: 3 €
  • Electronic board: 5€
  • DC motor: 19€
  • Hardware shop(wires, etc.): 4 €
What parts and systems will be made?

There's a structural part, made by wood, iron and PLA and there's an electronic part, made by the board and the motor.

What processes will be used?
  • Computer-controlled machining
  • 3D printing
  • 3D modelling
  • Electronic design and output device
What tasks need to be completed?

Even if this machine does not need an interface to work, I'd like to do it, in order to make it user-friendly.

What questions need to be answered?

  • What are the parameters that need to be set in a Rotocaster's interface?
  • Does a Rotocaster need to be connected to a computer or it not necessary at all?

What is the schedule?

  • Mechanical and 3D printed part: 30th june
  • Electronic part:2nd july
  • Testing:6th of July
How will it be evaluated?

In my opinion it's a good project for a FabLab, it's easy to replicate and it is a machine that can be use during Fab Academy to develop several projects. I know it's not a really good manifacturing project, and there have been fabacademy's students, like Saverio Silli, that did a Rotocaster, better that the one I did.
However, since my background is completely different, and I've never done something like this, it's a really good result for me: six months ago I did not even how to do a basic html web site.






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